Twilight of the Mind
by EitakaJasont
Summary: The King of Shadows sits on his throne, drenched in his own blood. He has just barely survived the green-clad child's sword and the impish princess' ancestral power, but the Voice of Madness still plagues his mind. He begins to wish he had died... How has it come to this? The story of Zant's rise to power and descent to insanity, leading up to the conclusion of Twilight Princess.
1. Prologue

**Twilight of the Mind**

Prologue

The King of Shadows sits on the throne – his throne, the one he took by force when his own people betrayed him. His own people! The anger begins to flood his senses once again, rousing him from his near-dead stupor. He immediately tries to hold it back; he knows it does not come from him.

Zant tries to even out his shallow, haggard breathing. Pain courses through nearly his entire body, especially his head. He gathers the strength to open his eyes – a mistake, he realizes as the pain sharpens – and sees his own blood everywhere. It drenches his clothes and runs down the seat of the throne to pool on the floor around his feet. The center of his chest feels oddly numb, as if the pain there is simply too great for his nerves to handle. He is grateful for that, even though a glance downward reveals a gaping hole that he knows means certain death. In fact, he should have died when it was put there...

_It is over_, he says in his mind.

_Over? Over?!_ the all-too-familiar Voice, the source of the anger, echoes through Zant's head. He thinks he can almost hear it laughing.

_Yes,_ Zant replies. _I was a fool to think –_

_A fool! _the Voice cuts him off. _Yes, you were a fool – are a fool! You still have your life, your power._

_My power, _Zant laughs under his breath, but it turns into more of a choked cough. He stares at the cavernous hole in his chest and wonders how he is even breathing at all. _My power is nothing. That boy... _His reply fades away as memories of the battle with the green-clad child resurface.

His glowing sword that seemed to direct the hand that held it.

His jaw set with determination.

His eyes shining with something almost...beast-like.

_That _insect _is nothing, _the Voice hisses angrily, interrupting the flashback. _He is merely _her_ tool, and her power is only what she steals from the Fused Shadows. Without those, she is no more than an imp. And she failed to kill you, even with the dark power! It is a sign – a sign that you are meant to live, to have power, to be king!_

"Be quiet," Zant whispers aloud, even though it hurts. His throat is on fire and he can taste the blood in his mouth and feel it on his lips. "It is over, don't you understand? Now leave me."

"Leave you? I _am_ you!" the Voice says aloud through Zant's lips, making the pain shoot through his head again.

"You are the agent of a false god!" Zant's own voice rises with his anger, and he clutches his ahead as pain shoots through it. "You are demon sent to plague my mind, and you have done so for long enough!" He is nearly screaming now, as much in anger as in agony. "Leave me in peace –"

He cuts off before he can say "please." Even on the verge of death, he still has a sliver of noble pride.

"Your mind is _mine_; your body is _mine_," the Voice hisses, and Zant can feel his lips form a smirk. "You will see that soon enough. You wish to be alone? Very well. I will grant your last request. Enjoy your own thoughts, _my king_, while they are still yours to control."

Zant feels the Voice's presence withdraw into the recesses of his mind, the dark places he dares not allow his thoughts to wander.

The king of shadows attempts to stand, but his legs become as the chu jelly of the Light World. He slumps back into the throne, still gripping his head. The pain stabs through him again, and it takes all of his willpower not to cry out this time.

Midna had nearly killed him. As her ancestral power had poured into his body, he had felt her malicious intent even through the pain – she wanted him dead more than anything else.

He should have died. Instead he had used the last of his strength to teleport, making it appear as though he had exploded. He had hovered near the high ceiling, watching and waiting as Midna reveled in her power and finally left with the child of Light. Then he had sunk to the throne and lost consciousness.

He wishes he _had_ died. Then he would be free of this agony. Free of the Voice haunting his thoughts and moving his body like a puppet.

Why does he yet live, gasping on the throne as the entire room, the scene of his defeat, seems to mock him? Though he had teleported at the last second, Midna's hair had still left a lethal hole in his chest and it should have killed him long before now.

He thinks back to the words the Voice had spoken through his lips after the battle with the child.

_As long as my master, Ganon, survives, he will resurrect me without cease!_

It is Ganon's power keeping him alive now, and he hates it. He had thought he had been given the power of a god to use as he wished, not to become a puppet directed by the Voice in his head that sounds like his own but is actually the Voice of the power itself.

He is nothing but a shadow of himself now, and soon the Voice would return and control him completely.

How had it come to this?

The King of Shadows closes his glowing yellow eyes, and the memories begin to flow.


	2. Chapter 1

**Twilight of the Mind**

Chapter 1

"Prince Zant, shall I fetch your cloak?" the young Twili servant asked. "The coronation ceremony will begin shortly."

Zant stiffened at the word "Prince," and he sensed the servant tense up at his lord's reaction, as if he expected to he struck.

But Zant was not in that kind of a mood today. He was calm, almost too calm.

"Yes," he replied. The servant hurried out of the room, failing to contain a sigh of relief as he went.

Zant gazed out of the window of the castle tower, watching the people milling about in the courtyard below. They were buzzing with excitement for the ceremony. It seemed absurd to him that they should be so thrilled over such an event. It was meaningless! Midna would rule as the monarchs before her had done – by doing nothing. What was the point of ruling a prison, anyway? For that was all the Twilight Realm was, nothing but a cage to keep the people of the shadows from mixing with the people of the light, who thought so highly of themselves.

Zant had higher ambitions. He wanted to escape from this prison, to move freely through a larger world, even if that world was covered in Light. Surely the people of Hyrule could not hold a grudge against the people of the Twilight Realm. Centuries had passed since the magic-users had been banished here, and the peaceful Twili meant the Hylians no harm. If only he could somehow get out there and negotiate, perhaps form a compromise with the Hylians to allow part of their world to be cloaked in Twilight just until his people adapted to dwelling in the Light.

But Midna would have none of that, Zant knew. They had debated it many times, both in public and in private. She seemed to think that the Light people and the Twili could never coexist, that they were too different and that conflict would undoubtedly arise. If only she could understand! But then again, she had always been stubborn.

Unfortunately, the Twili seemed to share her beliefs, and their support of her was the reason why she was in the throne room, waiting to be crowned queen, while he was standing at a tower window. The Twili were all cowards, afraid of the Light and afraid of change. They seemed perfectly content to live in their cage, but what about when it filled up? What about when the population outnumbered the resources? Was Zant the only one looking to the future and realizing things needed to change?

Zant struck the windowsill with his fist in frustration.

_Calm down_, he told himself as he unclenched his fist. _Make a scene today, and your chances of ever having any influence in this realm are finished._

The servant reentered the room and held out the cloak to his lord. Zant took it and waved the servant away; the young Twili bowed and left the room. Zant donned the cloak and looked out the window once more before heading for the throne room.

The large, high-ceilinged room was packed with Twili, all eager for the ceremony to begin. Zant walked slowly to the front of the room and took his seat in the first row of chairs with the rest of the nobility. He scanned the room for the Twilight Princess, but she was nowhere in sight.

"Ah, Zant, there you are," Terani, the noblewoman seated on Zant's right, said with a smile that was obviously forced. "You see, Vedir? I told you he would be here."

"Indeed," Vedir, the nobleman seated on Zant's left, said with an equally false smile. His eyes, however, seemed to say something more akin to "Neither of us thought you would not show your face here today, Zant."

"I would not dare miss such an important occasion," Zant said, knowing full well that they would see right through his lie and not caring in the least.

"Of course not," Terani said with poorly-concealed sarcasm. Her silver hair bobbed whipped suddenly to the side and nearly hit Zant's shoulder as she turned her face sharply to the right.

Zant followed her gaze and saw Midna standing with some attendants in the doorway to a side hall. She was smiling and talking to Lunef, one of her closest advisors, while a few servants smoothed the bottom of her long cloak. She looked beautiful as always, her shining orange hair flowing freely down her back. Zant had only ever seen the orange tresses held back with bands, but today the locks were free to cascade where they pleased.

"She looks stunning," Terani remarked. "Every inch a queen, don't you agree?"

"Indeed," Vedir replied.

Zant simply nodded, still gazing at the soon-to-be queen. Midna finished speaking with Lunef and glanced into the throne room at that moment. Her eyes met Zant's, and the prince inclined his head slightly without breaking the eye contact. Midna returned the gesture of respect, her eyes full of sincerity and a small measure of pride. She did indeed look every inch a queen. Zant kept his eyes hard to hide his true emotions, his growing anger. They were both too proud to be the first to look away, so their gazed remained locked for a long moment.

"Do you intend to keep your seat on the council, Zant?" Terani asked suddenly.

Zant did not particularly want to talk to her, but he was grateful for an excuse to break the eye contact with Midna that would not look like weakness or shame on his part.

"I do," he replied, looking down at the shorter Twili.

"And do you also intend to continue pushing your...unique ideas upon the council members and our monarch?"

Zant narrowed his eyes slightly, and Terani's eyebrow rose almost imperceptibly – a challend. Zant perceived it, and he had to wait a moment to calm his inner rage before he could reply. Why was he so angry? He had endured much harsher and much less subtle disdainful comments than this. Why was he so different today, so unable to control his emotions?

"As long as I have faith in my beliefs, I will urge the advisors and Midna to consider them," he said finally, his voice calm but cold.

Terani turned away, and her only reply was a small "Hmmm." Zant turned away as well, his insides burning with the cold fire of anger.

Suddenly, music burst forth from the wings of the room, and everyone turned to watch the Twilight Princess enter the room. Her black cloak parted to show a rather revealing black dress with gaps that displayed her pale blue midsection. Zant nearly snorted. She had always been rather rebellious and fiesty.

And hardheaded.

And umcompromising.

And naive.

Why was he so angry?

The crowd watched her approach the throne, on either side of which the two counsel elders had taken their places. Zant faced the throne as the crowd did, but his eyes saw nothing. The frustration was building, clouding his vision and making his jaw clench and unclench and clench again. He passed the entire ceremony in that manner, the anger mounting the whole time. Why?

He wanted to get up and leave, but he dared not. So he waited as the elders spoke of Midna's leadership qualities. He waited while Midna addressed the crowd with a speech full of promises of a bright future.

_Bright?_ he thought, his eyes momentarily unglazing long enough for him to scan Midna's face. It was reassuring and confident. _How can our future be bright in an endlessly dark and gloomy world?_

His eyes unfocused again, and he felt the rage simmering inside. What was wrong with him today?

He waited through the rest of her speech, barely hearing any of it. But moments after she had finished speaking and the crowd was clapping, her last words rang through his head like an echo.

_We are the Twili, the proud people of the Twilight Realm. Our place is here, and I will see to it that our race continues to thrive in this land that we love._

The crowd was applauding, and Zant felt himself clapping with trembling hands. He couldn't take it anymore. Thrive? Land that we love? They would all perish in this murky half-world, as would every generation to come if nothing was done about it! Midna was a fool, an idiot even, to talk of prosperity when she knew each and every Twili was doomed to wander the shades of this prison forever. It enraged him, infuriated him!

Suddenly, he was standing on shaking legs. Then we was walking swiftly out of the room that had turned deadly silent. He didn't care what they thought. All he knew was rage. _Why?_

He made his way to the palace balcony, which was mercifully empty. He stood there, staring into the distance as the wind toyed with the fringes of his long cloak sleeves. He had never been so upset – so _angry_ – before. He had thought he could control it but it was growing so strong and it _scared_ him. What was happening inside his head? Why was he so mad? He would not have the power of the Fused Shadows, but he would still have influence. He could still use his words to try to convince Midna, the counselors, the people.

_Words are nothing without power, _a voice that sounded like his own spoke inside his head without warning. You_ are nothing without power._

That was it. He could take no more.

He stumbled a few steps forward and fell to his knees, giving into the rage and the despair. He curled up on the balcony floor and banged his fists and then his head on the ground, crying out in frustration. A corner of his mind was screaming at him to stop, to think, to realize that this was not him. But he paid it no heed. All was lost now. It was too late.

Suddenly, the ground lit up with a yellow light, and he heard a rumbling ahead of him. He looked up to see a massive orb of yellow and black energy directly in front of him. He gasped and got to his feet, but he was too petrified to run away as the sphere came closer and closer and finally enveloped him. He blinked in the sudden darkness and then gasped as a figure appeared. It was a gigantic head cloaked in golden energy. The being had pointed ears that stuck straight out from its head. Its eyes were orbs of yellow that glowed, and its mouth was wide and almost...smiling.

Zant stared at the head, afraid beyond all reason.

Then the being spoke, and his voice was deep and booming and full of power.

"I shall house my power in you," he said.

Zant was too amazed to reply, to even nod or blink.

"If there is anything you desire, then I shall desire it, too," he said.


	3. Chapter 2

**Twilight of the Mind**

Chapter 2

Zant's words came back then.

"Who are you?" he asked, trying not to let his voice tremble as he gazed upon the being that seemed to be made of raw power.

"I am Ganon, lord of all," the being replied. "I am all-powerful and all-knowing. I heard your call, and I will give you my power to do as you wish."

Zant was shocked. So this Ganon was...a _god?_ The Twili had passed down tales of three Goddesses that ruled the World of Light, but he had never heard of any other deities.

"The three Goddesses rule the Light," Ganon said, seeming to read Zant's thoughts. "But I watch over the Twilight Realm. The Goddesses view this realm as unfit for their benevolence; they love only their Light people."

"Then why have you never..." Zant trailed off, unsure of how to ask without sounding impertinent or doubtful.

"We deities do not often involve ourselves in the affairs of mortals, whether Light races or Twili," Ganon said. "But I can see that the Twili will continue on this road to their own destruction if something does not change. You know this, and therefore you are fit to become the vessel of my power in order to change the fate of the Twili. Do you understand?"

"I do...o my lord," Zant replied, unsure how to address his god.

"Good. For far too long have the peoples of the Light lived in ignorance, most not even knowing that the Twili exist. With my power, you will claim a place for your people among the Light-dwellers, far from this cage you live in now."

Zant nodded, hardly believing his ears. This Ganon, his god, seemed to take the words straight from Zant's head.

"I shall grant you my power now. Go forth and claim the World of Light in the name of your god and your people. This is my commandment to you, King of Twilight!"

Ganon opened his mouth, and a stream of golden energy came forth and poured into Zant's chest. It made his insides burn, and he cried out and shut his eyes. Then the pain ceased, and he opened his eyes to see that he was once again alone on the balcony.

He glanced down at his chest, almost expecting to see the golden light emanating from his body. He looked completely normal, but he _felt_ immensely different. It was as if he could feel the power of his god running through his veins, swirling in his mind. It felt incredible.

He looked up at the sky and smiled a genuine smile for the first time in what felt like ages. With this power, he would be able to go leave the Twilight Realm at last, to go out into the World of Light as a emissary of the Twili. He would be able to convince Midna and the councilors and the people –

_No, _a voice seemed to shout in his mind, interrupting his thoughts. _You cannot convince them. Even with this power they will not listen. You must _force_ them._

Force them? The thought had never even occurred to Zant. He had been involved in politics for many years, and he knew that force was not a good way to make people take his side. If often had the opposite effect.

_What will you do, then?_ the same Voice questioned. _Will you use your lord's power to sit in a committee while the end of your people draws ever closer? Your god _commandedyou _to use his power to go into the Light and claim it for yourself. He called gave you power and called you king, and yet you would defy his wishes?_

Zant's eyes grew wide. Yes, Ganon had commanded him, but….to go into the Light and _claim_ it? For a race that the Light peoples knew almost nothing about? He did not want to start a war!

_War? _the Voice seemed to laugh in his head. Why did it sound like his voice? Were there his true thoughts? _There will be no war. The Light-dwellers are no match for your power now. First the Twili will bow to you, then the Light peoples will follow. You will be king of all!_

King of all. Is that what he really wanted? Complete control, absolute power? Maybe during his anger he had thought so, but now? Surely when Midna and the others heard his story and saw his might, they would take his side. How could they not? But this Voice….

"Zant?" a different voice interrupted his thoughts this time.

He whirled around to see Midna standing there in her ceremonial attire.

"Are you all right?" she asked, her face full of concern. But was it sincere? "When you rushed out during the ceremony, I thought perhaps something had happened."

Oh. He had completely forgotten that he had run out. Why had he done that? He remembered being angry, but to disgrace himself in front of everyone! It seemed very foolish to him now.

"My apologies," Zant replied, looking away in shame. Then he added, "my queen."

"I am not queen yet," Midna said quickly. "The ceremony halted after your abrupt departure."

"Oh. I see," Zant said slowly.

_Not queen yet. No power yet._ The Voice kept whispering in his mind, distracting him.

"I suddenly felt ill," he lied. "I sometimes get uncomfortable crowded rooms. I am sorry for interrupting the ceremony."

"I understand," said Midna, looking somewhat relieved but a little unsure. She knew there was more to the story than that, especially given Zant's public views about her becoming queen. "Will you come back to the throne room, or would you mind if we continued without you?"

Zant thought she sounded a little irritated. And with how he had behaved, she had a right to be. But here they were, alone on the balcony, with no people or councilors nearby. If he could just take this moment to speak to her in private about what had happened, about his power and his ideas, without the need for pointless formalities….

"Midna," he said, stepping towards her, his eyes bright and optimistic. "Listen to me. Something _did_ happen. Something extraordinary."

"Something that can wait until later?"

"No, please, you must hear this now. I can explain the fine details later, in front of the council, but right now you need to know."  
Midna's impatience gave away somewhat to a sliver of intrigue. He had her attention.

"Fine, tell me. But make it quick, if you please."

"Of course. See, when I came out here to…. to get some fresh air," he stumbled through the lie, but he didn't care. The upcoming truth was what mattered. "I…. I met someone. Someone important who changed me."

"You're delaying the coronation ceremony to tell me that you got a _girlfriend?_"

"No! No, no, not that kind of someone. Midna, please, this is serious."

Midna sighed. "Continue."

"I met our god," Zant said, his face aglow with excitement.

"You…." Midna paused, looking completely bewildered and very skeptical. "Zant, we don't have a god. Do you mean one of the Goddesses? Did you have some sort of vision?"

"No, not the Goddesses of the Light. _Our_ god, the lord of the Twilight Realm. He spoke to me, told me that our people are on a path to destruction. Then he gave me his power and instructed me to go into the Light and make a home for our people in that world. Midna, this changes everything!" He was smiling now, unable to contain his exhilaration.

Midna stared at him as if he'd gone mad. His smile faded a little at the sight of her expression, but he pushed on regardless.

"With your political influence and my new power, we can convince the Twili to follow us into the Light. It will take some getting used to, of course, but our descendants will be able to live in the Light as we only ever dreamed! Think of it, Midna, just think of it. Out there in the open world, away from this dreary cage at last, walking in the Light as free people. Can you see it, Midna?"

"Zant," Midna said slowly, her eyes hardening somewhat. "You said you felt ill. Do you feel ill now? Are you still recovering?"

"Midna," Zant said more steadily, realizing that he needed to be calmer and more serious or she would never believe him. "Our god appeared to me. He spoke to me, right here on his balcony. I swear to you, Midna, this is true."

Midna said nothing, but she looked a little sad.

"Why do you not believe me? Why can you not see the future I have spoken of for our people?"

"Zant, we have no god," she began. "In all the legends passed down from our ancestors, there are only the three Goddesses. Remember, this realm was once the home of great evil. Perhaps what you saw was a relic from that age, an echo of the terror that once dwelt here."

_She blasphemes against your god!_ the Voice nearly screamed with anger in Zant's head, and he grunted and put hand to his head.

"Are you all right? Zant?" Midna asked, sounding more cautious than worried.

"Yes, I am fine," he said, embarrassed when his voice came out a little shaky. "I just….have a headache, that's all."

Midna nodded slowly, knowing he was keeping something from her. Then she continued speaking.

"I know how much you want to leave this realm, our home, but I am afraid that is simply not possible. We cannot exist in the World of Light, and the peoples there would not welcome us. Our world is beautiful in its own way, and we live in peace and prosperity here. Why is that not enough for you?"

_She does not see the future as you do,_ the Voice hissed angrily. _She does not see that the doom of her people in nearly upon them. If they stay here, they will fill up this tiny realm and either starve or be forced to kill each other. Tell her!_

"Midna, this realm cannot sustain us forever!" Zant almost shouted, her disbelief and the Voice's anger causing him to panic. "We will die in here, every one of us! Why can't you SEE that?!"

"Zant, calm down," Midna said, taking a step back.

"How can I calm down when I can see that the destruction of my people is at hand?!" He paused, and when he sproke again, his voice was low and deadly. "If you will not act, Twilight _Princess_, then I will."

"Zant, think about what you are saying," Midna snapped, clearly upset at his behavior. "If you go into the Light World, the people there will seek to destroy you simply because they do not know what you are. Leave them in peace and be content here. This realm has more than enough to sustain our people for generations to come! Now, I am done listening to your radical ideas. If you will excuse me, I am late for becoming queen."

Midna. Always so strong-willed and stubborn and prideful.

_Teach her a lesson, _the Voice urged. _Show her your power!_

Yes.

Zant narrowed his eyes at her, then raised his arms. He felt the power surge through him, and suddenly an armored helm was on his head. He stepped towards her. Then he stepped again. And again. She backed away, one arm raised toward him as if to ward him off.

"Zant, stop this madness," she commanded, but there was fear in her voice. "I have the magic of our ancestors, and I will not hesitate to use it on you if I have to."

Zant laughed, and the sound reverberated in his helmet to sound even more sinister.

"Magic?" he scoffed, and the Voice was speaking the same words in his head at the same time. "Only the true ruler of our people may possess such power, and you have not yet been crowned. It is I who holds the power here, Twilight _Princess_."

He raised one hand.

_Yes. Do it. DO IT!_

"Now, behold the power of my god! My power, the power of the King of Twilight!"

He screamed in triumph and whipped his raised hand to the side, as if slapping Midna from a distance. She fell to the ground with a cry, her cloak and dress vanishing.

Zant watched in silence as she pushed herself up from the ground. Watched as she saw what he had done to her, her eyes growing wide with horror.

"Zant, you monster!" she screamed. "What have you done?! I command you to -"

"Go from here," he said coldly. "If I see your impish face here again, I will kill you."

The Voice was only a sound in his head, but he swore he could feel it _smile_.

The King of Twilight turned his back on the Twilight Princess and headed for the throne room.


	4. Chapter 3

**Twilight of the Mind**

Chapter 3

Zant could hear the dull roar of the crowd gossiping long before he reached the throne room. He knew exactly what they were talking about even before he was close enough to distinguish the names of Midna and himself repeated constantly throughout the crowd.

Why had he run out? What was wrong with him? He had always been envious of her. Why did he have such radical ideas?

He smirked under his helmet. Soon they would see. They would all finally understand.

_Even if they don't want to_, the Voice reminded him.

He entered the throne room and was unnoticed for a few moments. Everyone was turned this way and that, talking to his or her neighbor about what had happened. Then a few people noticed the masked figure heading toward the throne. They stared in silence, drawing the attention of the people they were talking to. The silence spread like a plague, and soon the room was completely quiet. His footsteps echoed through the room as he ascended the stairs toward the throne.

He wore a mask, but many of them could guess who he was. He could almost feel this disdain slowly turn to apprehension as he grew closer to the throne and still the princess did not enter after him.

He halted inches from the throne, then whirled around and raised his mask. He heard a few gasped, but most of the crowd had seen it coming. Zant spread his arms wide and smiled as if to welcome the crowd into an embrace.

"My people," he began, his voice cheerful but firm. "Though the legends tell of only the three Goddesses of the Light World, I have discovered another god – one who watches over our realm. He has revealed himself to me and given me his power to lead my people into the World of Light. Rejoice, my people! We will soon be free of our cage!"

He raised his arms and his voice for the last few sentences, but the people seemed less enthusiastic. Whispering broke out among them, full of scorn and talk of madness.

The councilors rose from their seats in the front row, and approached the foot of the stairs, as did a few of the nobles. Terani and Vedir were among them. The crowd quieted again.

"Zant, what is this madness?" one of the elders demanded to know.

"Where is the Twilight Princess?" Terani inquired, her voice cold with suspicion.

"She has abandoned you," Zant said matter-of-factly.

"Indeed," Vedir said sarcastically, but his eyes held a degree of anger.

"She fled from the power of my god, from the destiny of her people," Zant elaborated. "She finally saw that I was right, and her pride could not bear it. She is gone now. That is the end of it."

"What have you done to her?" Terani said icily, and it sounded more like an accusation than a question. She began up the stairs.

"I have shown her my power," Zant replied, watching her approach. "Power greater than anything our _ancestors_ could have conjured up. Speak to me no more of Midna. There are greater matters to be discussed here."

"Shall we discuss your arrest and imprisonment for crimes against the royal family and acts of insanity?" Terani inquired, now directly in front of him. She glared into his eyes.

_She will be the first to become one of your soldiers,_ the Voice said, and Zant felt his lips twitch into a smirk.

"My dear Terani," Zant said softly enough so only she could hear. "Do you have no faith in me? No faith in our god?"

He felt himself raise a hand and place it against her cheek. No, he did it. After all, only he could control his movements. Right?

Terani shuddered when he touched her, but she didn't lose her nerve.

"Zant, stop this," she said quietly, choosing a gentler approach. "Give up this scheme. You are frightening your people, not inspiring them. Please, Zant, tell us where Midna is."

Zant snarled and moved his thumb so it hooked under her chin as he gripped her face hard. She squinted in pain and used both hands to tear his hand from her. Her eyes were like fire, pure hatred.

"Guards! Seize this radical!"

The guards ran from the perimeter of the room to the stairs, then up them toward the throne.

Zant laughed, and his hand was clamped around Terani's throat before she knew what was happening. Then he raised his other arm toward the guards. They stumbled upon the stairs and fell to their hands and knees, screaming and gripping their heads in agony, weapons clattered to the floor.

"Oh, that won't do at all," Zant commented, paying no notice to Terani, who was gasping and clawing at his hand with both her own.

He dropped his raised arm forcefully, and the guards' screams became silent as they continued to twist and spasm on the stairs.

"Much better," he said cheerfully. In some corner of his mind he thought his voice almost didn't sound like his, that his actions were not quite his own. But he paid it no heed. He was finally getting what he wanted.

He turned his face to Terani and smiled at her as he tightened his grip around her slender neck and pulled her towards him slowly. If he pulled too fast he would break her neck, for Twili necks were long and thin a fragile. So he was gentle. She resisted a little, but the lack of oxygen quickly overrode that and she stepped close to him.

"Terani, Terani, Terani," he said sadly, shaking his head. "Nearly as beautiful as the Twilight Princess herself, but nowhere near as powerful. Of course, Midna's power was nothing compared to mine, but yours is almost nonexistent."

He eased his grip a little when he saw her eyes beginning to close. She gasped raggedly.

"Please…." was all she could manage to say.

"Shhhhh," he said, putting a finger to her lips and bringing his face very close to hers. "Quiet now, and listen. Come into the Light with me, Terani. At my side, you will be a dark goddess among the Light-dwellers. Join me. Rule the Light World with me!"

Rule the Light World? Is that what he really wanted? He had always fancied Terani. She was clever and beautiful and strong. But even with her with him always, did he really wish to rule the World of Light? Were these even his own thoughts?

His moment of doubt was interrupted by Terani's choked voice speaking to him.

"Zant," she gasped. He loosened his grip on her neck slightly to allow her to speak easier. Then he watched as anger and pride burned away the fear in her eyes as she glared at him. "I will _never_ join you in this insanity, in the betrayal of my people and the conquest on another world we of this realm have no right to claim. Do with me what you will, but I will always stand against you, this I swear."

"Oh, but my dear Terani," Zant whispered. "You may defy me with your voice, but your body will fight for me all the same. Although, not in this fragile form."

Without another word, he threw her to the floor. She gasped and coughed and rubbed her neck, the whole while glaring up at him.

He held out a hand towards her and felt some of the power gather in his fingertips. Then he sent it hurtling in her direction, invisible to the eye but potent all the same.

"Guards! Seize this madman!" she yelled.

But it was too late for her. In an instant she was screaming and writhing on the floor, her limbs first twisting in agony and then twisting into new shapes. They changed into long legs with clawed fingers. Her feminine body warped as well, becoming a dark and muscular torso. Her head was the last to change, and just before her face stretched into a flat, eyeless head, she stole one last glance at Zant. Pain filled her eyes. And fear. And a silent, desperate pleading. Zant merely smirked beneath his helmet, completely unmoved as the face contorted into the monstrous head with tentacles growing out the back like hair.

The first shadow beast rose to its newly formed feet and tilted its flat head towards its creator.

"So this is what we become when the last of the Light is extinguished from within us," Zant said in amazement. "Now, you are truly a creature of Shadow. But it's a shame, really. I – oh, hold on a moment."

The guards were halfway up the stairs. Zant held his hands out towards them and gave them the same taste of his power that he had just given Terani.

_Why not the whole room while you're at it? _the Voice suggested. _Why not the entire Twilight Realm?_

Zant grinned, raised his hands a little higher, and sent out an invisible torrent of power that flooded the room and overflowed into the rest of the Realm.

When the screams stopped a few moments later, the new King of Twilight had an army of shadow beasts at his command. The rose to their feet and faced their new master.

"As I was saying," Zant said to the beast that had been Terani as he turned toward her and lowered his hands. "I liked you much better in your other form. If only you could have seen things my way."

Then he sat on his throne and faced his army.

"We will go into the Light," he said. "And it will fall beneath our Shadow."


	5. Chapter 4

**Twilight of the Mind**

Chapter 4

Zant was furious.

The power of his god had let him to turn the Twilight Princess into a whining imp and every other inhabitant of the realm into shadow beasts. It had aided him in sealing away the Sols, the only things that could undo the Twili's transformation. It had allowed him to leave the Twilight Realm, and it was protecting him and his army from the Light in which they now stood.

But it could not destroy the Mirror of Twilight. Not completely. He had managed to break it into four pieces, three of which had flown free of the stand and disappeared over the horizon. They were gone, certainly. But they were not destroyed, and that angered him.

_Only the true ruler of the Twilight Realm can destroy the Mirror of Twilight._

The words kept echoing in his mind, making his insides boil.

"I _am_ the true ruler," he muttered yet again. "Why else would the god of the Twilight Realm give me his power? Besides, I do not have to destroy the Mirror. Should Midna dare to even think of returning to the Twilight Realm, she would never be able to find the pieces. Especially not in her current form."

He chuckled a bit at the though of the impish princess crawling from shadow to shadow, crying out in pain every time the Light touched her. Then he felt a pang of guilt. The princess had not agreed with his ideas, but she had never treated him cruelly. And he had done the cruelest thing he could have imagined to her – he had stripped her of her title, her power, and her true form. Why did he have to do that?

_It was necessary,_ the Voice chimed in.

It was starting to irritate him, this Voice. It sounded like his own voice, but it was somehow different. It was cold, dark, full of malice. But wasn't he also that way? Yes, these were his own thoughts and the Voice was his own voice. He told himself he was sure of it, and yet….

_Mustn't keep the Light peoples waiting._

Right.

The sun was rising over the desert, its rays seemed to reflect off each grain of sand and cause the air to shimmer. It was nearly blinding, even with his helmet shading his eyes. It would look much better cloaked in Twilight.

Zant walked to the edge of the Mirror Chamber and gazed out at the ancient ruins below. The dry air carried on it a fowl stench, and Zant could now see the scent belonged to a large clan of scrawny green creatures that inhabited the ruins. Zant watched them scurry about, squabbling and clubbing each other over a shiny stone or excitedly watching the corpse of a large animal turn slowly on a spit over a fire. They were nasty little creatures, indeed. And probably not very well-liked by the other Light peoples. Perhaps they could be persuaded to join his cause. He could easily wipe them out once he was done using them.

Zant summoned a small amount of power, concentrated, and in an instant he was standing among the green monsters. Each one immediately stopped whatever it was doing, stared for a few seconds, then rushed at the invader with weapons raised. With a flick of his wrist, Zant sent them flying backwards onto the ground.

"Who is your leader?" he asked them, hoping neither the language of the Twili nor the common language of the Light peoples had evolved much from the tongue spoken by their shared ancestors.

"I am," a deep, rumbling voice answered.

Zant turned around to see a massive green beast carrying an enormous axe emerge from behind a half-toppled pillar. He had two long horns that protruded from the sides of his round head and curved upwards. Unlike the others, this monster had not rushed at Zant without a second thought. He had waited behind the pillar, watching and calculating, which meant he had at least a slightly higher intelligence than the rest of the creatures.

"I am Zant, King of the Twilight Realm. The gateway to my realm lies in the heart of your – " he glanced around at the ruins, searching for the right term, "– territory."

"King, huh? I am a king, too. King of the Bulblins," the beast declared with a wicked grin that displayed his few yellowed teeth. Then is grin faded, and he narrowed his beady red eyes at Zant. "Why are you here, Shade?" he asked, using – or perhaps inventing – a slang term for the Twili.

_He probably has no idea what the proper name is, _Zant thought.

"No Twili has ever left the Twilight Realm before," King Bulblin added.

_Oh, _Zant thought, impressed at the beast's knowledge. _Never mind, then._

"Until now, we did not have the means to travel between the worlds," Zant explained. "But my power is vast, and I was able to bring myself and my army into this realm, which I intend to conquer."

"Starting with us?" King Bulblin asked, though it sounded more like a warning. He adjusted his grip on the handle of his weapon and glared at Zant.

"Not if you swear fealty to me and aid me in my cause."

"What's in it for me?" His glare transformed into a look of slight interest.

"When this world is under my control, I will allow you to do as you please, provided you do not interfere with my rules. You will be free to terrorize the people, pillage the towns, gain more territory."

"You just assume my kind want to harass peaceful villagers?" King Bulblin raised the area of skin where one of his eyebrows should have been.

"I have knowledge of your people," Zant lied smoothly, internally scolding himself for being so careless with his assumptions. But then again, their monstrous appearances and abundance of weapons practically begged to be stereotyped.

The green beast grunted and squinted his glowing red eyes as he thought it over.

"How do I know your plans will work?" he asked after a few moments. "If you are defeated at the hands of the soldiers, the army will come after us, too. We can deal with occasional groups of archeologists or tourists with their small band of armed escorts easily enough, but the entire army could stamp us out and leave our corpses to be buried by the sand."

Zant hesitated. He was impressed that the brutish creature had thought this all out, but he was also slightly annoyed that the beast was too intelligent to follow him without much of a protest.

"I follow the strongest side!" King Bulblin proclaimed when Zant did not answer. Then his voice softened as he added, "That is all I have ever known."

"And all I have ever known is that I must escape my cage, the Twilight Realm," Zant said. "And if that means conquering this world, then I _will_ do it."

Zant raised his arms and summoned glowing red orbs to his fingertips. They sparked and hissed as they hovered by his hands.

The bulblins, released from Zant's magic hold and now standing around their leader and the Twili, chattered nervously and gripped their clubs tighter.

Then Zant flicked his wrists and sent the orbs hurtling towards King Bulblin, who let out an alarmed grunt and leapt to the side with surprising dexterity. The orbs crashed into the half-pillar behind him, and it exploded into a shower of rubble that rained down on the shrieking bulblins.

King Bulblin stared at the spot where the pillar had stood, then turned his glowing eyes toward Zant and grinned his yellow-toothed grin.

"I am the strongest side," Zant said in a low voice as he smirked behind his mask.

"So it seems," King Bulblin replied, still grinning. "What would you have me do for you?"

"You will scour this realm for the Light Spirits, the keepers of the Light that fills this land. When you find a Spirit, you will signal my warriors to come and take the Light, thus plunging the surrounding area into Twilight. Once the Twilight envelopes the land, you will not be able to enter that area or cross into the Light World without assistance from a creature of Twilight. Once the entire realm is covered in Twilight, however, you will be able to go where you wish and do as you please."

_I'll leave out the bit about becoming a spirit within the Twilight, _Zant said to himself. _They won't even know it has happened, anyway_.

A thought occurred to him then: How did he know about the Light Spirits? About passage between the Light and the Twilight? About the inhabitants turning into spirits?

_The god gave knowledge as well as power,_ the Voice explained.

There it was again: that Voice, the one that sounded like his own but was somehow….different. But they were _his _thoughts in _his_ mind, and he knew that for certain… Didn't he?

"How shall I signal your warriors?" King Bulblin asked, interrupting Zant's thoughts. "I have a battle horn that I use to call my men when they are nearby."

"The horn will suffice," Zant answered absent-mindedly, still trying to sort out what was happening in his head.

The dry wind picked up, whistling through the stone ruins and stirring the sand. Zant could feel the sweltering desert heat seeping into his black garments and metallic armor, reminding him how much he longed for the chill of the Twilight.

It was time for his conquest to begin. No more worrying about a nonexistent Voice. Only madmen imagined such things.

"I will lead my army to Hyrule Castle and defeat the Princess Zelda and her soldiers," Zant announced, letting the foreign places and names flow from his mouth and trying not to wonder how he suddenly knew them. "You will do as I have instructed. Do you understand?"

The bulblins looked around at each other and chattered excitedly.

"Yes," King Bulblin replied loudly, silencing his underlings. "We ride to Faron Woods!"

The bulbins raised their clubs and roared with malicious glee, then dispersed to their various crude shelters to gather supplies.

Zant turned toward the direction of the Mirror Chamber, preparing to teleport back to his waiting army.

"Shade," King Bulblin called from behind him. "Betray our agreement, and you will regret the moment you decided to step into this world."

Zant nodded solemnly, but he could hear the Voice cackling in the back of his mind at the beast's threat.

"One more thing," King Bulblin added after a moment. "Did you send another Twili before you? A small one?"

"Ah, yes. An outcast, and a victim of my wrath." He smiled maliciously beneath his helmet. "Did you catch her stumbling through the sand like a sick beast?"

"No, it was floating through the air. Nearly scared my sentries to death, especially with that strange helmet on its head. They thought it was some sort of demon."

Zant turned around fully to face King Bulblin again, his head tilted to the side in alarm.

"Helmet? What did this helmet look like?"

"It was night, so I didn't get a good look. But it had two horns sticking straight up, and I think I saw some sort of carvings on it," he paused, tilting his head to the side and peering curiously at Zant. "Is it important?"

"Not to you," Zant replied sharply before disappearing and leaving the King of the Bulblins alone in the sand.

_So, she has one of the Fused Shadows,_ he said inwardly as he materialized in the Mirror Chamber.

_No doubt she will try to find the others,_ snarled the Voice.

No. There was no Voice, Zant reminded himself.

_We must find her before she can acquire them._

_I have already taken away her power, and she is no more than an imp now,_ Zant replied – to himself, not to a nonexistent Voice. _She cannot possibly obtain the other three Fused Shadows._

_She is clever._ _And angry. A powerful combination, and you know it._

_I will station patrols as soon as the first patch of Hyrule is cloacked in Twilight,_ Zant promised._ She will not get far._

_She had better not, for your sake._

Zant shuddered at the thought, which had sounded eerie and threatening.

He shook his head, trying to clear his mind and focus on the task ahead. He turned to face his waiting army of Shadow Beasts.

"To Hyrule Castle," he said.

And with a snap of his fingers, the Mirror Chamber was once again deserted.


	6. Chapter 5

**Twilight of the Mind**

Chapter 5

"Welcome to my castle."

Zant's flashback is interrupted by a deep, rumbling voice that he immediately recognizes to be that of Ganondorf, his would-be deity. A wicked chuckle follows the statement.

Zant looks wildly around the throne room, his eyes burning with fury. So, the false god has come to claim the Twilight Realm in addition to Hyrule. The man who had manipulated Zant to the point of madness has now come to take away the only thing the Twili has left – his throne.

But he has not come. He is nowhere in sight.

"Where are you, coward?" Zant shouts, his voice bouncing off the high ceiling and colossal walls.

_He is not here,_ the Voice says, resurfacing from the depths of Zant's mind. _You still house a sliver of his power and therefore remain connected to him. Observe._

Zant feels his eyes roll back into his head.

He is in the throne room of Hyrule Castle, and he is seated on the throne. Before him are the Light boy and Midna. The boy stands with his knees and elbows slightly bent, ready to unsheathe his sword and spring into action at any moment. Midna floats to the side and slightly in front of him, one arm stretched out to tell the boy to stay back.

Midna's uncovered eye widens in surprise and then narrows in anger.

"So you're… Ganondorf," she says icily, lowering her chin to glare up at him.

Zant realizes then that he is viewing this scene from the eyes of Ganondorf, who sits upon the Throne of Hyrule.

Ganondorf bows his head, and Zant sees a massive scabbard with the glowing hilt of a sword protruding from it resting on the man's lap. He also glimpses a similar glow emanating from a wound of some sort in the center of Ganondorf's torso.

Ganondorf gripps the scabbard with one hand and stands up, his cape billowing behind him as he chuckles again. Lightning flashes and thunder booms outside as Ganondorf raises his head and lookes down upon the imp and the ranch hand, who steps forward and draws his sword. Ganondorf raises his chin slightly and lets out an unimpressed 'hmm' at the sight of the pair.

"I've been dying to meet you," Midna says, baring her teeth in a snarl-like grin.

"Your people have long amused me, Midna," Ganondorf begins, stepping forward. "To defy the gods with such petty magic, only to be cast aside… How very pathetic. Pathetic as they were, though, they served me well," Ganondorf continues, lifting his hand and facing his palm towards the pair of would-be heroes. He chortles sinisterly once again. "Their anguish was my nourishment."

Zant snarls inwardly at that.

Ganondorf turns his hand over and curls his fingers into a fist, his leather glove creaking with the movement. "Their hatred bled across the void and awakened me. I drew deep of it and grew strong again."

A knot twists in Zant's stomach. His hatred of the Twilight Realm and his resentment of the Light peoples had been fuel for Ganondorf's dark power.

Ganondorf lowers his arm and turns to the side, keeping his head turned toward Link and Midna as he steps a few paces to the right.

"Your people had some skill, to be sure… but they lacked true power."

He whips his head around and looks upward. Princess Zelda, her eyes closed and her head bowed in unconsciousness, floats above the throne in the middle of a giant statue of the Triforce. The strands of hair banded together before her shoulders move slightly in the breeze that comes through one of the open windows.

"The kind of absolute power that those chosen by the gods wield."

Ganondorf gazes up at the helpless princess for a moment more, then turns around to face Link and Midna again. He steps toward them and lifts his right hand, the back of it facing toward the duo. Out of the corner of Ganondorf's eye, Zant sees a golden light radiate from the back of the raised hand.

"He who wields such power would make a suitable king for this world, don't you think?" He growls wickedly and clenches his fist.

Absolute power. Chosen by the gods.

The Triforce.

So Ganondorf possesses the Triforce of Power.

It all makes sense now – how Ganondorf had been able to appear as a massive head wreathed in golden flames, how he had been able to give Zant enormous power and still have enough left for himself. And now he has captured Zelda, bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom. The trifecta is nearly complete, and if Ganondorf can somehow take the other two pieces for himself….

Zant shudders inwardly, hating the false god more than ever. If he acquires the complete Triforce, nothing can stop him. And with such power, Hyrule won't be enough for him anymore. He will spread his reign to encompass the entire world, and then all other worlds after that.

"Ha! Such conceit!" Midna barks. "But if you are one of the chosen wielders of power, as you claim…" She lifts her hands and gestures to herself. "I will risk everything to defy you!" she shouts, shaking her head in anger and throwing her arms back behind her to emphasize her point.

"Shadow has been moved by light, it seems…" Ganondorf says, once again laughing menacingly under his breath.

He is right. The Midna Zant had known would have never dreamed of stepping into the Light World, let alone risking her life to save it. Her time amongst the Light peoples had changed her. Made her soft.

"…How amusing," Ganondorf finishes.

The Light boy risks taking his eyes off Ganondorf for a second to glance at his companion in what looks like concern. Midna says nothing. She just glares up at Ganondorf, proud and determined.

"Very well… Deny me, then!" The wind streaming into the room picks up, whipping around the room and adding to the dull roar of power that begins emanating from Ganondorf. "Yes, try to deny me… You and your little friend…" He turns to look up at Zelda once more, this time lifting his hand towards her.

He hears Midna inhale sharply, followed by an alarmed gasp from Link. Suddenly, Midna flies into sight. She halts before Zelda, then whips around and throws out her arms to either side, shielding the princess. Ganondorf's vision goes black, but Zant can still feel the connection to him. He feels as though he is being lifted into the air. He rises higher and higher, then stops and flies forward suddenly. He hears Midna groan in pain, or perhaps anticipation of pain. He stops moving, but his vision remains black.

He hears Midna 'hmm' in confusion and then gasp in alarm. Shortly afterward, she growls in determination, makes a choked sound, and then sighs in resignation.

Suddenly, his vision returns. His eyes snap open to see Midna gazing concernedly at him, one arm outstretched to rest a hand on his cheek. For a split second, he nearly forgets he is seeing out of someone else's eyes. Then his heart clenches as he remembers. He would have given anything for her to actually look at him like that.

Suddenly, Midna screams in terror and is thrown back, away from him. She lands hard on the throne room floor and bounces out the entrance, crying out in pain. The Light boy gasps and turns around, running toward the body of his companion.

Zant realizes he is now seeing out of the eyes of Princess Zelda. Ganondorf has taken over her body, it seems.

He raises a feminine hand and two walls of orange light appear, one before the throne and one in the entrance to the room, blocking Link's path to Midna. Ganondorf floats down and lands on the floor, laughing and and stepping towards the Light boy, who cries out in surprise and whips around.

"Both of you, faithless fools who would dare to take up arms against the king of light and shadow…" Ganondorf declares through Zelda's lips as he summons her sword to his hand. "So you choose. And so you shall feel my wrath!"

He laughs maliciously yet again as he floats upwards, preparing to fight Link.

The vision ends, and Zant opens his own eyes with a gasp.

_Now you see,_ the Voice says. _He is the king of both Light and Twilight. Midna and that boy will now perish for defying him, just as you will perish should you dare to do the same._

The Voice cackles, just as Ganondorf had done so many times in the vision.

_Think on it, Twili._

Zant waits until the Voice fades into the back of his mind again, then he hangs his head in despair. Ganondorf is right – he is far too powerful for any of the Twili's ancestral magic. And Zant is nearly dead already. He will not stand a chance when the man comes to conquer the Twilight Realm.

_Since when do I care about the fate of this realm?_ Zant wonders, snorting quietly in sad amusement. _I always longed to escape the shadows. Now they are all I have left._

He sighs and puts his head in his hands, blinking back tears of sorrow and frustration and anger and perhaps a little madness.

The memories begin to flow once more.


End file.
